Empire of Koroku
The Empire of Koroku, late known as the First Empire of Koroku, is an extremely aggressive empire on the Frontier, dedicated to the cause of Unggoy supremacy. Driven and extremely zealous, they are led by the charismatic Emperor Kor, with the goal of expanding their empire. Despite the small size of their empire, they are expanding rapidly, overtaking several colonies, and setting their sights on loftier goals. History Origins On a quiet world in Kilbren's Cluster, a collective of Kig-Yar traders settled an unassuming world with one very special feature. While frigid at the north and south poles, it had a thin band of warm and habitable territory running the length of its equator. Rivers of liquid methane running from the north and south ended at its borders, evaporating into the air of mountain valleys to form methane-rich pockets. Settling on the methane-free high ground, the Kig-Yar exploited this unusual geography by purchasing thousands of Unggoy slaves and breeding them in the low grounds to work in their factories and mines. Treating them as lowly animals, the Unggoy slaves were worked hard, whipped, fed on scraps, and if they stepped so much as a foot out of line, killed. Growing weary of their treatment very, very quickly, a single figure rose up amongst them: Kor. Of unknown origin, Kor was a slave like the rest, but unlike many Unggoy, he was eloquent, charismatic, driven and brave. Intending to liberate his brethren, he attracted followers that he arranged into covert cells, sabotage machines in the factories. As production output went down, the Kig-Yar cracked down on the Unngoy slaves harshly, executing them at random. Rather than invoking fear, it only galvanised them. Rising up as one, they stormed the homes of their masters, washing over their settlements in a tide of frenzied claws and improvised weapons. Outnumbering their captors three hundred to one, they overran the Kig-Yar, killing every man, woman and child. Once they'd captured the settlement, they took the weapons and ships of their former masters and entrenched their position. Kor, unchallenged leader of the Unggoy, decided that they should never have to fear being enslaved again. Suddenly in command of hundreds of thousands of Unggoy all looking to him, Kor took on the honorific name Koroku and built up his followers as an empire, shaping it in his image. Now they were no longer an disorganized rabble, but a force to be reckoned with. Rise of the Empire Turning the liberated slaves into a self-sustaining empire would consume Kor's life for the next several years. From the outset of this endeavor, his popularity among the people led to a push for him to become supreme, unconditional ruler, something he resisted out of concern over wars of succession, seeking to found a society which would live on after him. To this end, he formed a council of his closest advisers, with their help beginning the creation of an entirely new culture stressing the superiority of the Unggoy. Crafting laws, social classes and a military, Kor commissioned the building of a mighty city to form the heart of his emerging domain, which his people would come to call Koroku City despite his preference for its official name, Tampok.Tagalog for 'central feature'. Unggoy and Balaho, their homeworld, are also Tagalog words. With his oversight, the empire would establish schools and places of learning, build amenities for itself like hospitals and parks, and construct infrastructure vital to the development of industry. Through shrewd planning and hard labor, their economic strength grew exponentially as factories and star ports were created to produce goods for trade. Early on, they came into contact with representatives of the Jiralhanae central government and entered negotiations for trade, but rejected Jiralhanae offers of becoming a protected client nation. Instead, Kor would reforge his army-size band of rebels into a regimented military capable of defending them, with dedicated training camps and an established order of battle. The fledgling society would go through a number of shifts as Kor pushed them to advance, facing resistance from his own advisers. The council sought to consolidate Kor's power, in turn securing their own, and expand, which Kor opposed behind closed doors. He rejected the notion of expanding to other worlds, not for the sake of isolationism, but for fear of the methods his subordinates would employ in conquering them. His foremost advisers, many of them former commanders in the rebellion, pushed for him to lead invasions of Kig-Yar colonies and take their people as slaves just as the Kig-Yar had once done to them, which Kor vehemently opposed, seeing the enslavement of any being as an affront to their hard-earned freedom. Rebuking them, his advisers opted to scheme behind his back, manipulating the opinions of the population and their fellow councilors. This resulted in the declaration of an Empire, with Kor being reluctantly crowned Emperor. His advisers crafted a political system that installed him as a figurehead, possessing absolute power, but could be vetoed by three important positions: the Grand Archduke, leader of the parliament; the High Lord Generalissimo, leader of their military; and the High Regent, the steward in the absence of Kor. Using the new parliamentary system, his closest friends again put forth the idea of invading neighboring worlds. Kor did everything he could to oppose it, but was overruled by the triumvirate's veto. Dejected, he could only watch as his people prepared to expand through conquest. Deciphering the navigational systems on the ships taken from their former masters, they learned the positions of the nearest trading partner, another Kig-Yar colony, and steamed off to invade it. The planet was a relatively undefended world, relying on its unimportance to stay hidden. As the ships of their allies approached, they had no idea they were being invaded until too late. From the holds of the ships, thousands of Unggoy poured out. Anyone who resisted was killed, and everyone remaining enslaved. Fortifying this colony, they geared production towards the making weapons and armour, and ordered their new slaves to construct biodomes so the Unggoy could live in a methane environment in comfort. The Unggoy, now strong enough to dominate those who had previously enslaved them, became intoxicated with power. Soon, the demand for slaves increased, and these demands grew loud enough to reach Kor. Unable to refute the wants of his people, Kor was forced to give into their whims. Using information garnered from the star charts of their captives, Kor and his appointed commanders discovered a new world nearby, home to a human settlement. Condemning them for the crime of trading with their former Kig-Yar masters, the Empire again made ready for war. Emerging from slipspace above the colony, they went about their attack more methodically then their first conquest and opened with a light bombardment from high orbit. Convinced they'd broken the humans' fighting spirit, they opened lines of communication and demanded surrender. The frightened colonists agreed, and came out unarmed bearing anything valuable they had. Little did they realize the Unggoy were here for more than simple looting, and were quickly rounded up to be taken to makeshift slave camps as the Unggoy began their occupation. Come the Conquerors The Empire of Koroku grew in size and strength, and its parliament quickly decided to continue expansion. Their next target, as selected by the military, would be the independent world of Whitesnow. A frigid planet, it was colonized by a joint venture of humans and Kig-Yar, who had established thriving deuterium and tritium refining industries to fuel passing starships and export, becoming the hub of a completely new trade route. As its lucrative business meant it would be better defended, this would be the first true test of the Empire's military might, and they would pass magnificently. Quickly securing aerial dominance over the scattered settlements, the Empire deployed troop ships to land newly-organized legions of infantry, who advanced upon and laid siege to the settlements before beginning an infantry march into the towns. Methodical, zealous and characterised by extreme violence, they seized the settlements and took most of the population as prisoners. Once secured, the second wave, composed of Unggoy colonists from the Empire's holding worlds arrived soon after, and began establishing biodomes to build their own settlements in. The original occupants were put to work on these biodomes or shipped off-world to serve on their other colonies. Soon, they had taken Whitesnow as their own and used it to boost their own economy tenfold, as well as boost the territory their ships could cover. With the momentum of this victory, they sent out colonists to the uncharted world of Nageov, which they would colonize and quickly build a number of outposts on, expanding their reach at a meteoric rate. Nageov required some terraforming, but the result was a temperate world perfect for Unggoy, as it already had a methane-rich atmosphere. Rather than create an industrial base, or a military outpost, it became a resort and holiday destination for the upper echelons of the Empire, with a few oxygen biodomes housing the servants that would staff it retreats. War of the Triumvirate Joininjg the Confederacy First War of the Confederacy Frontier Gains Liberation of Balaho Interbellum Period Second War of the Confederacy minor victory1 a minor victory during a series of defeats fills them with false confidence major loss 1 crushing defeat against inferior forces causes massive loss of life major loss 2 a counter-attack results in them meeting a superior enemy, and an even larger loss of life Fall of Balaho balaho is liberated by the Freedom Legion Fall of Suraap loss of a colony to Sword forces Abdication of the Emperor Amidst political turmoil, the Emperor abdicates, escaping with most of his family to Sword territory Civil War War between 3 factions, the royalists, the republicans, and the slaves results in near total collapse Collapse of the Empire Empire collapses, and is replaced by a Sword vassal, though surprisingly little changes Death Throes last imperial bastion becomes a Demiurge vassal, then falls Structure Officially, Kor rules the empire without opposition and without question. As the single most powerful individual in the Empire, his word decides the fate of hundreds of thousands of people. In truth, power is shared by the fragile alliance between him, the Lord regent, the High Lord Generalissimo, and the Grand Archduke. Beneath him are the three Archdukes, each of whom rule a Duchy, a political block within their own rule. Military forces are under the direct rule of the Emperor, rather than swearing allegiances to individual dukes. The Grand Archduke officially represents these Archdukes. In conjunction with Kor, there is the High Lord Generalissimo, leader of the military, and the Lord Regent, ruler in Kor's absence, a vice-emperor sort of role. The military is organized a single joint force, called the Grand Army. This is subdivided into military forces called Hordes. Each Horde has a Naval, Air and Ground element, with attendant logistic sections. Each Horde is led by its own military commander, usually carrying the rank of Primus, though military ranks tend to overlap with that of the Duchy, and features a number of ranks, roughly corresponding to Covenant-era ranks, though there is an inclusion of new ranks to fill vital command roles. Hordes are usually uniform in size and strength, though this can vary, and usually feature a large block of well-equipped, well-trained infantry, with supporting light and heavy armour, close air support, and warships, the majority of which are SDV-class Heavy Corvettes, though there are some CCS-class cruisers that provide a vital backbone. Beneath the Primus serve the Marshals, commanders of individual military formations within a Horde. They usually command a strike force of vessels, or a legion of warriors and under them are the Commanders, commands of individual warships and infantry squadrons. Ranks drop here to Officers, who command large units, Ultra, who lead lances, Majors, who lead files, and Minors, the bulk of the force. There are also detachments of specialists, such as Snipers, Special Weapons, Rangers and Special Ops. These forces often have organic support include Ghosts and Spectres, as well as Wraiths for armoured support, and air support in the form of Banshees and Phantom Dropships. Combat ranks and specialists vary greatly in the Empire, filling positions not previously seen by the Unggoy. This has resulted in new unit structures. *Ultra: Experienced officers, and seasoned veterans, Ultras are the highest rank on the battlefield, with all ranks above them being reserved for staff officers. Possessed of extraordinary cunning and keen tactical acumen, they lead large units in ground operations. They can be identified by their pearlescent white Ultra armour. *Imperial: Veterans of previous campaigns, Imperials tend to form elite combat cadres called Imperial Guard. Regarded with awe by their lessers, Imperials are expert shock troops, smashing into enemy positions. The wear a variety of colours on their armour, and use Imperial Armour. *Bodyguard: Assigned to protect dignitaries, officers, and important positions, Bodyguards are the elite protection force of the Empire. Possessing energy shields and powerful weapons, they doggedly protect their position, refusing to take one step backwards. They wear white armour. *Major: Squad leaders, and experienced soldiers, the Majors are the backbone of any Empire force, directing squads into combat, and rallying them. They have noticeable red armour, and have improved weaponry. *Minor: The most basic rank, all Unggoy hold this at some time or another. The Minor is lightly armed, and has orange armour. *Snipers: The short and stocky Unggoy aren't really built for the delicate art of sniping, but it hasn't stopped them trying. Snipers are experienced marksmen, carrying blue armour with a face plate. *Heavy: One of the most popular professions, the Heavy is regarded as the pinnacle of their forces. They are well drilled warriors, using green armour and a faceplate, and carry heavy weapons such as Plasma Cannons, and Fuel Rods into battle. *Specialist: *Pilots: Pilots are Heavies who have been cross trained as vehicle crewmen, commanding ground vehicles, stationary guns, and aircraft. *Rangers: Specialists in deep space combat, the Rangers are equipped with vacuum sealed suits and jet packs, allowing them to navigate, even in 1 G+ environments. *Special Ops: Equipped with the finest technology, these soldiers are the most steadfast and cunning in the whole army. Their advanced purple armour, is only matched by their high-end gear and unorthodox tactics. *Jockeys: Only the finest soldiers ever get to claim the position of Jockey. These elite pilots command the Goblin Battlesuits that the Empire is so proud of. Commanding these mighty machines requires skill and bravery, and these soldiers have both. They also tend to be braggarts, and overly ambitious. *Heavy Cavalry: Using broken Jiralhanae and Sangheili as mounts, and clad in heavy armour, they ride into battle, usually pumping their unfortunate 'steed' full of combat drugs to enhance their combat abilities. Armed with a plasma melee weapon capable of releasing bursts of power on impact, they can quickly devastate in close quarters. *Light Cavalry: More lightly equipped than Heavy Cavalry, the riders often carry long-rifles or sniper rifles, intended to harry or harass the enemy from afar in skirmishes, or gather intelligence. *Immortal: A clandestine and illicit experiment into cybernetics, the Immortals are advanced cybernetic warriors, with severe augmetics that bind their body to power armour that enhances their strength ten fold. They are mentally reconditioned, becoming obedient, fearless soldiers completely unwavering, and excised of all emotions. *Slave-Warrior: Few in number, but increasingly deployed because of their effectiveness as both cannon fodder and conscripts. Culture The Empire of Koroku has a strong sense of unity and powerful drive rare in most young star empires. In general, most citizens enjoy a decent quality of life, but the higher echelons in the Empire have extraordinary wealth and live lavish lifestyles. Each citizen is instilled with zeal, drive and a strong sense of self-worth. On every world, the majority of Unggoy can be divided into two groups: the people, and the nobility. The people toil for the good of the empire, working in the factories, stores and farms, as well as working as traders, builders and artisans. The majority live inside biodomes constructed on their colonies. These large structures house their homes and amenities, and are supplied with running water and electricity. Homes are usually well-made, if a little ramshackle, and furnished well. Wealth is spread very disproportionately in the Empire, with the average citizen earning a modest wage, but those in military and political positions of power earn a substantially larger sum of money. Those nobles often own and run the industry of the Empire, and have enough money for their own private biodomes and a number of slaves to serve their needs. Each settlement has at least one school, with compulsory education in math, science, language and history. However, these history lessons are badly skewed to give an Unggoy-centric history, and most lessons foster a cult of personality for Emperor Kor. Richer children are privately educated, sometimes aided by well-educated alien slaves. Most Unggoy are expected to serve in the military at some point in their lives for at least one tour. Inside their biodomes, the quality of life is good, in fact, excellent by the standards of frontier space. Most have fully functional amenities, running water and electricity, as well as fully staffed hospitals and infrastructure in place. Outside of these biodomes, citizens are restricted to utilising gas tanks or air-tight homes with methane atmospheres and secured airlocks. The Empire is, for the most part, very stable, as advancement can only be made through currying favour and wealth, and Kor's power is absolute. This isn't to say that internal power struggles don't occur, but their scope and intensity are limited. It also isn't unheard of for an important member of a political party to up and disappear when they displease the ruling group. The Empire is strongly Unggoy-supremacist, and view many alien races, in particular Humans, Kig-Yar, Yanme'e and Sangheili, as inferior to them. To this end, their conquests and occupation of colonies is often marked by brutal regimes and internment, before processing into slaves of the Empire. Once subject to slavery themselves, they are brutal in their enslavement of their enemies, reducing them to the status of animals, dehumanizing them, so to speak. Slaves cannot talk to one another, and are referred to only as slave or animal and must bow in the presence of their masters, to give them the height advantage. While there is an abolitionist movement, they are in the minority. Most of the population of the Empire dress in practical clothing, usually simple jumpsuits or overalls, whatever they can afford. Most possess a methane tank for venturing outside of the confines of their biodomes, but these are not always in use. Those who are richer and more powerful dress in much more extravagant clothing, with luxury materials like silk, filigree jewellery, ornate headdresses, and long, trailing robes. Kor himself wears the Diadem of the Emperor, a symbol of rank. Slaves are forbidden from possessing clothes, and only wear a heavy yoke around they necks and shackles on their wrists and ankles. Equipment Warships *DAS-class Storm Cutter: While associated with Kig-Yar raiders, the small fleet of Storm Cutters represents the Empires main reconnaissance force, and raider ships. *CRS-class Light Cruiser: a police vessel once used to keep the Unggoy slaves in line, they now in turn use it to keep their planets safe, and conduct ruthless police actions against revolting slaves. *DAV-class Light Corvette: While few stealth-capable examples were secured, the Empire has several fast escorts intended to quickly travel the Empire on patrol or raids. *SDV-class Heavy Corvette: A key vessel in defence of the Empire, the Heavy Corvette makes up most of their fleets, forming a blockade around their more important, and vulnerable vessels, while being potent on their own. *ADP-class Escort: A few of these vessels operate in the Empire, being used in defence of the Empire's installations and freighter fleets. *CAR-class Frigate: While rarely seen in fleet actions, the CAR is used to patrol the empire, and protect it's borders from threats. *RPV-class Light Destroyer: Used only as escorts for the carriers of the Empire, crews are drilled for self sacrifice and dedication. *CPV-class Heavy Destroyer: While principally a warship intended only for destruction, these occupation vessels become important for taking and holding enemy colonies. *CCS-class Battlecruiser: While once a mainline ship, the CCS-class is a rarer find, and now serves more as a breakthrough vessel for whatever their fleet vessels cannot break. *RCS-class Armoured Cruiser: Ancient vessels of little value to most, these ships have been manned by Imperial crews in hope of gaining further strength. While antiquated, they are very powerful ships in their own right. *DDS-class Carrier: Largest vessels in the Imperial fleet, the carriers are their flagships and naval leaders, carrying hordes of Unggoy eager for battle and conquest. Air and space craft *Type-26 Banshee Ground Support Aircraft: A generic Banshee, it is used en-masse to cover the enemy's airspace in hostile craft. *Type-27 Banshee Exoatmospheric Multirole Fighter: A vacuum sealed Banshyee variant, it is used to swarm enemy fighters and bombers, hoping to deter them while Seraph and Gunboats breach defences. *Type-31 Seraph Exoatmospheric Multirole Fighter: Once the apex of Covenant fighters, the Seraph is still widely used, and with little modification, is still lethal in adequate numbers. *Type-25 Spirit Troop Carrier: A basic, if crude vessel, the robust Spirit can penetrate hostile airspace, but is inadequate to continue ground support after that. *Type-44 Phantom Troop Carrier: The oldest generation of Phantom still deployed, the Type-44 is older, but still dangerous. It is often used in mixed squadrons with the newer Type-52. *Type-52 Phantom Troop Carrier: Newer only in manufacture date, the Type-52 is little more advance than the older 44, and with almost identical performance. *Type-52 Phantom Gunboat: A specially modified torpedo bomber, the Gunboat is vital in attacking enemy fleet elements in naval battles. Long considered obsolete, it is still used for its ease of use and manufacture. *Asura-class Shuttle: Used as a raider ship, and VIP transport, the Asura is one of the smallest Covenant vessels to carry a FTL drive. Vehicles *Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage: *Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery: *Type-29 Shadow Troop Transport: *Type-32 Ghost Rapid Assault Vehicle: *Type-45 Spectre Infantry Support Vehicle: *Methane Wagon: *Goblin: *vehicle 1 *vehicle 2 Armaments *Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle: *Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol: *Type-51 Directed Energy Rifle/Improved: *Type-51 Carbine: *Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher: *Type-31 Rifle: *Type-50 Directed Energy Rifle/Heavy: *Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon: *Type-52 Automatic Plasma Cannon: *Type-27 Special Application Sniper Rifle: *Type-52 Special Applications Rifle: Personal Equipment Holdings The Koroku have numerous holdings, across several planets as they spread their influence and strength. Koroku Originally known as Iril'l, it was renamed in honour of their leader once the rebels took control. Koroku possesses unusual atmospheric and environmental features that made it perfect for Unggoy inhabitation. Mostly frozen in the northern and southern hemispheres, a thin temperate zone lies on the equator. From the northern and southern poles, liquid methane runs in rivers down to the equators, where it vaporises and creates valleys suitable for the Unggoy to live. However, due to limited spacing, these valleys are instead home to huge processing factories that create methane tanks by the thousands. Koroku's main settlement is the capital, which shares its name with the planet. The city consists of a collection of fifteen biodomes, each functioning as a self-contained and self-sufficient city. These biodomes are linked to one another, allowing easy of transport between them. Each biodome is fed with an atmospheric mixture identical to that of Balaho, numerous airlocks at the exits, and the entire dome is contained by shield, that maintains atmospheric pressure, while allowing ships to enter and leave the biodomes. During battle, the shield generators can be overcharged to repel ordnance and penetrating vehicles. The largest of the biodomes contains the imperial palace, a monolithic structure that contains the parliament building, housing for the upper echelons of the Empire, vast servant and slave quarters, and of course the personal quarters of Emperor Kor. Other biodomes contain large residential sections, the military command, barracks, a fully functional starport, trading centres, factories, industrial complexes and manor housing. Biodomes are often divided by class, so those in the upper class live in segregated biodomes, while many of the workers share cramped quarters. Outside of the biodomes are a number of structures unsuitable for housing inside a biodome. These include the large farms outside the city, methane and oxygen production facilities and the slave pits. The majority of slaves are contained outside the city in a segregated compound, akin to a prison, or a concentration camp. Segregated by race, gender and age, slaves are usually processed and kept here, until they either leave for their job deployment for the day, or are bought and kept in a separate compound. Yaakahan The first world invaded and occupied by the Empire. Gleaning information on the colony from navigation data culled from the ships of their former captors, it was invaded them brutally occupied. Thousands died in the attack, and thousands more were enslaved, most being taken back to Koroku in chains to serve there as slaves. The Unggoy slaves there were liberated, and welcomed as citizens of the Empire, while their Human and Kig-Yar slaves, expecting liberation, were enslaved to an even harsher master. On this world, they mostly abandoned the Kig-Yar settlements to elements, and instead built their own biospheres for the settlers that came later, taking over the industry of the original occupants. While it would never rival the splendour or glory of Koroku, Yaakahan became heavily populated, and was notable for it's heavy industries. Suraap The first human world seized, Suraap is blessed with large swathes of arable land, making it the breadbasket of the empire. With a single, central biodome housing the main settlement, then dozens of hamlets dotted around, surrounded by farm land. Most of the slaves are the original human colonists, but the constant growth of the empire means a constant need for food, and other slaves have been shipped in. Whitesnow A cold and desolate world, its one and only draw was the fuel industry, where deuterium and tritium were naturally occurring beneath the frozen oceans. The Empire maintains a handful of well defended outposts, most little more than small towns, attached directly to the huge refineries that extract and manufacture fuel, usually used by the Empire itself. Nageov A quiet world, kept that way by the higher echelons of the Empire, it is host to several open air settlements that serve as luxurious holiday homes of the rich and powerful. Blessed with a methane atmosphere tolerable to the Unggoy and a very warm environment. This makes it ideal get away from the biospheres of the other worlds. Mare Viridi A world shared in a tenuous ceasefire between the Empire and the Bloodied Claw, Mare Viridi is a bread basket colony. While the Empire have numerous holdings, their main settlement is a heavily reinforced biosphere, with layers of defence, and a large demilitarized zone, leaving a gap between them and the Bloodied Claw's settlement. Housing a large military garrison and hundreds of defensive emplacements, it is always prepared for war. Slaves Once slaves themselves, the Empire in turn have enslaved many of those they view as their oppressors. Not bound by any laws governing the treatment of slaves, they are often harsh and cruel to the slaves beneath them. They do not purchase or export slaves, but instead focus on the conquest of others to expand their realm and numbers. For the most part, public opinion favours the use of slaves, is behind the military actively conquering colonies for slaves. There is however, a small but growing abolitionist movement, which are attempting to improve the conditions of slaves. Slaves are used on their worlds as labourers, slave workers, miners, factory workers, pack animals, creatures of burden, though rarely they may also be used as servants in rich households. In military roles they work in logistic units and as low level crewmen or starships. Every time they conquer a new colony, the slaves are rounded up and placed into concentration camps to be sorted and processed. Sorted one by one, they are taken through to processing chambers where they are stripped naked, all their clothes, jewellery and belongings are thrown into an incinerator. The slave is then judged for their size and strength, which usually dictates where they'll work. They are pinned down and branded with the symbol of the empire, then fitted with shackles around their wrists and ankles, then a heavy slave yoke around their neck. From here they are placed in a cell in the slave district. These cells are arranged by race, age and gender. Slaves live, work and die in extremely poor conditions, under the control of the Empire. They work from dusk till dawn and are prompted to work by the threat of a lashing from their slave drivers, or the worse threat of being sent down the mines, a virtual death sentence. The skill of the slave is disregarded, as no slave works skilled labour, and instead slaves are chosen for their roles based off their size, strength, behaviour and submissiveness. Slaves are expected to work as soon as they can walk and those too old or too weak to work are usually left in the slave pens to die. Slaves do not wear any items of clothing, even on the colder worlds they inhabit. Thankfully, the biodomes are temperature controlled, so slaves do not suffer from exposure within them. Each slave is fitted with a heavy yoke around their neck, which allows them to be easily controlled, latched onto a work station to prevent escape, or lashed to a piece of farming equipment to haul. They also have shackles on their wrists and ankles that allow them to be chained together to limit mobility. For working in the Unggoy biodomes, they are fitted with heavy breathing apparatus. Slaves are commonly referred to as just 'slave' or 'animal' by their masters, are forbidden from conversing with one another and in the presence of their Unggoy masters they must bow onto all fours, to give the Unggoy the height advantage. The majority of slaves work unskilled labour, working on factory lines, in the methane production plants, on farm land, as beasts of burden, hauling things, working in the mines, or other areas requiring little skill, with few responsibilities. However, a small number of slaves are selected for more specialised work, as domestic servants, especially when numbers of Unggoy domestic workers are low. Here they'll work as personal aides, secretaries and servants, attending the needs of their owners. A few are also selected to tutor the children of upper-class Unggoy, since the Empire's own education system is still somewhat insubstantial. These however are somewhat rarer than other positions. Unlike other major slavers in the galaxy, they do no value slaves for appearance, and do not keep them as trophies or pets. Slaves are also utilised in a few military roles, but none in front-line service. They mainly serve in behind the line logistical units, providing simple labour to make sure supplies get to where they are needed. They are also employed as low level crewmen on starships, responsible for keeping the ship clean and tidy, rather than any military role. However, a single unit, recruited from slaves, has been raised, with the interest of seeing their performance. Their good performance could potentially improve the lot of slaves, but if they fail they will never improve it. Notable Individuals Emperor Kor, Lord of the Unggoy, Protector of Koroku, Great Leader of the Revolution, Champion of the Illustrious Horde: Emperor Kor, also known by his full title of Emperor Kor, Lord of the Unggoy, Protector of Koroku, Great Leader of the Revolution, Champion of the Illustrious Horde, is the ruler of the Empire of Koroku. Originally a slave of unknown origin and parentage, he rose to fame in the slave pits of what would become the world of Koroku. Unlike his fellow, downtrodden slaves, Kor was charismatic, smart and driven. He saw the misery heaped upon his fellows and vowed to change it. He taught many of his fellow workers to sabotage the equipment they worked on, and how to resist their masters, and when the time came, he lead them in a full blown uprising. Now the leader of hundreds of thousands of Unggoy, all of them angry with no goal, he remoulded them into an empire in his image, appointing himself as emperor. As emperor however, the power went a little to his head, and several years down the line, he's become egotistical, and power mad, but all the traits that brought him here are still there. He's still charismatic, with incredible drive and a goal in sight of establishing the Unggoy as a power to rival the other galactic factions. He's still utterly dedicated to helping his fellow Unggoy, and is devoted to their betterment. Shortly following his ascension, his power base was broken into four segments, with him sharing power between the High Regent, the Grand Archduke and the Lord High Generallisimo. Lord Regent Yakzak, Regent of Koroku: Lord Regent Yakzak is Kor's direct aide, vice minister and right hand. Unfortunately both don't exactly see eye to eye. A political enabler, Yakzak is often the direct line between the Imperial house and the Parliament. Powerful and forceful, Yakzak knows how to get things done in the political world, as was responsible for many of their treaties, trade pacts and outreaches to other factions, but also responsible for the presence of slavery in the empire, convincing the Grand Archduke and Lord High Generalissimo of their necessity to the economy. Yakzak can be quite manipulative, but despite her idealogical differences with the Emperor, she still serves him loyally. Lord High Generallisimo Wazak, Unggoy General: Wazak was one of the original rebels alongside Kor, and was appointed by Kor to be his second in command. He maintains this position as the Lord High Generallisimo, functionally the third in command of the Empire, and the commander of their military. Wazak, like Kor, shares his vision of Unggoy supremacy, but is much more pragmatic in his approach, and does not believe that it will be achieved by social and political means, but by military force. To this end, Wazak loathes the other races, and is especially harsh of his treatment of slaves beneath him, going so far as to block political attempts to have slaves placed into more important military roles. Grand Archduke Yaayan, Government Leader: An important political figure in the Empire, Yaayan functions as the leader of the government, and dictates the day to day affairs of the empire. Yaayan is motivated and well spoken, but his very progressive in his views, intent on finding allies amongst the other races and making slaves more important within the empire. This makes him politically opposed to Wazak, but despite differences both are good friends and strong allies, having fought together as rebels. Chief Guard Okrup, Emperor's Guard: Okrup is a giant, hulking excuse of an Unggoy. Easily a good two and a half feet taller than his peers, Okrup is possessed of a child like personality and limited intelligence. This is due to rampant inbreeding inside the slave pits, which made him strong physically but weak mentally. His unusual circumstances has allowed Kor to shape him into an excellent bodyguard, dedicated to protecting him 24/7. Despite the title of 'Chief Guard', he does not command Kor's household guard, which is left to the Captain of the Guard. High Consul Makak, aide to the Emperor: Makak holds the illustrious title of High Consul, though her position is poorly defined and covers a wide range of tasks. The actuality of her position is, that she functions as aide-de-camp to Emperor Kor, organising his day to day life and tasks. She also advises him on matters of state, such as home affairs, taxation, education and social problems. High-Lord Strategic Advisor Larok, Advisor to the Emperor: Larok is almost universally loathed by members of the Empire as a slimey, underhanded, snivelling coward. However, the only reason Kor keeps him around, much less in a position of political importance, is because of his knowledge of economic and military affairs. Responsible for building up the economy, almost single handedly, he organizes their trade and funding for their military affairs. Honourable Elder Tukyup, Parliament Overseer: An old and weathered Unggoy, Tukyup has been there, done that and seen it all. One of the original leaders of the rebellion, he has little time or patience for matters of state, and instead has the leisurely role of 'Honourable Elder', watching over meetings of the Parliament. Though he commonly sleeps through these, when it is needed, he will interject, and many of the younger Unggoy listen. Archduke Tukak, Senior Archduke: Senior most among the Archdukes, his politics lie firmly in the centre, being a neutral party during meetings of the Duchy. Usually trapped between the social advancement of the left, and the Imperial supporters of the right, Tukak usually plays them both against one another to maintain the status-quo. Archduke Mukyaz, Socialist: A left-leaning Archduke, he is the main proponent of social change to the hierarchy of the Empire, wishing to improve the division of wealth between rich and poor, and elevate the lower social classes. Generally good natured and jovial, he can be quite the fiery orator when required. Archduke Flipyak, Abolitionist: Regarded as a radical leftist, Flipyak is the leader of the small abolitionist movement. Believing it wrong to enslave fellow sentients as they were once enslaved, he continually campaigns for slave liberation and manumission. Unfortunately, he has little in terms of support, and is instead reduced to grass roots movements to garner support. Archduchess Davlup, Right Ring Leader: The leader of the right wing, the Archduchess commands considerable respect and power. She uses her political leverage to try to enforce the Imperial creed, with a strict social hierarchy and division between the people and the Duchy. She's also in favour of increasing slave numbers to bolster their economy. Archduke Yalzaz, Right Wing Radical: Yalzaz represents the very small minority of radical-right members that are not only die hard Imperial fanatics, but also die-hard Unggoy supremacists, who believe the only path to their supremacy is genocide. Generally regarded as a fringe group, he believes they should commit systematic genocide of the other races, but fortunately he has little in terms of political power. Archduke Lablub, Moderate: A moderate member of Archduchess Davlup's right power block, he leans closer to the centre, and holds several views uncommon to the right, such as increasing slave rights and importance, promoting them in skilled labour and military roles. However, he's somewhat submissive, especially to Davlup's authority, and these opinions are often silenced. Archduke Owazak, Power Broker: The broker of right-wing power, he usually organises Davlup's power base and supporters, in aims of supporting their aims and goals. Owazak himself is regarded as the power behind the throne, in the right-wing of the Duchy, and is responsible for much of their accomplishments. Primus Morkak, Imperial Commander: One of the most respected commanders in the Grand Army, and the leader of the Bloodied Horde, he has become famous in the empire for his multiple successes, leading massed assaults against otherwise defenceless targets. Enemies who can fight back have been more of a challenge to him, but his finesse on the battlefields of Mare Viridi proved beyond a doubt that he is skilled. He now remains in charge of the standing military on Mare Viridi, charged with staring the Bloodied Claw down. While disdainful of his enemy, he respects their skill, and also respects the ceasefire. Unlike his commanding officer, Lord High Generallisimo Wazak, he has been pushing for placing slaves in more important military roles. Grand Admiral Plapap, Imperial Admiral: Originally the captain of a small corvette, during a botched naval battle against a force of slippery pirates, when the flagship was crippled, and morale broke, he rallied his crew, then her fellow ships, and organised them into interlocking fields of fire, defeating the pirates. Promoted up two ranks, she's now in charge of a substantial portion of the Imperial Navy, and is charged with directing the defence of their worlds, Koroku chief among them. Gifted with tactical acumen and quick wits, she takes her role seriously, with a grim demeanour. Joplap, Imperial Merchant: The most respected merchant on Koroku, he's savvy and skilled in the art of trading. One of the big sponsers of the Imperial military, it means he has a degree of influence over them, which mostly extends to him getting a portion of the slaves from their conquests, to fuel his industries. He manages several different industries and active trades with other factions, also acting as a political envoy in these matters. Kuwap, Imperial Hero: The famous soldier Kuwap is known across the entirety of the Empire as the great hero, a warrior of uncompromising spirit and skill, who became known far and wide as the warrior who saved the Emperor in battle, throwing himself in front of the enemies who threatened him. The truth is very different however. Positioned near the emperor, when the enemy approached he panicked and accidentally knocked over a crate of plasma grenades into the path of the enemy, which activated and proceeded to stick to the attack force, detonating them in a conflagration of plasma fire. Rewarded with immediately removal from front line service and promoted to full time hero, he tours the Empire, giving motivational speeches. Luzwak, Imperial Soldier: Another well known soldier, Luzwak's legacy is well known for another reason. He's possessed of great skill at arms, being an excellent shot, skilled tactician and dutiful soldier. He doesn't care for the fame though, and instead prefers his quiet service to the Empire. Possessed of a quiet intensity, he often intimidates those around him, usually unintentionally. Tappayap, Imperial Fight Ace: One of the most skilled fighter pilots in the Empire, he is regarded as the best ace, with 19 kills under his belt. Racing into battle in a headstrong manner, he can force his Seraph to pull manoeuvres most assume are impossible. His Seraph has been painted with vivid markings, designed to stand out, which in turn attracts the enemy to him, exactly as planned. Once in the enemy formation, he confuses, disorientates then picks them off, relishing it. Tol 'Konar, Sangheili Slave: One of the small handfuls of Sangheili slaves present in the Empire, he was originally a slave of the Kig-Yar of Yaakahan, and when the Empire invaded, ownership of him passed to the Unggoy. Already broken by the Kig-Yar, there was little change for him between the two masters. A beast of burden, his subservience to the empire is seen as a propaganda coup, showing the power of the Unggoy. Tak Yor, Slave Leader: The leader of a squad of slave warriors, in the Empire's only unit of slaves, Tak Yor is a fierce and cunning fighter. Originally taken as a child during the expansion of the Empire, and growing up a slave, he saw how awful their life was and became desperate to prove himself, and his fellow slaves. Jav Lo'Urk, Slave Advisor: Aide to the emperor, Jav was previously an important member of Yaakahan's leadership and when it was captured, he was singled out as both important and knowledgeable. Selected to be a vital aide to the emperor, Jav unwillingly serves as both an economic and political aide, but knows he can do little to improve his own situation. Guri Jal'N, Slave Manipulator: The whisper in Archduke Flipyak's ear, Guri Jal'N appears on the surface to be his servant, but the once powerful captain attempts to manipulate the Archduke to strengthen his abolitionist cause, with the intent of the slaves growing strong enough to mount a successful rebellion. Conniving and devious, Guri dreams only of returning to power, even if that means stepping over thousands of corpses. Lud Guk, Slave Rebel: Leader of a group of rebellious slaves, Lud Gak appears by day to be a sickeningly loyal slave, not arguing or disagreeing with his masters, but by night he is an expert saboteur, attempting to derail the Imperial war machine and incite rebellion. Anak Norr, Slave: Once a matriarch of renown, she is now the servant of Archduchess Davlup. Davlup is a strong believe in social division, between the duchy and the commoners, and between the commoners and the slaves. To this end, she's broken the will of the once proud matriarch and has her serving others in a capacity barely higher than an animal. Once a symbol of strength to her fellow colonists, her breaking has in turn broken their will. Uro, Slave: A second generation slave, Uro knows nothing of freedom and liberty, instead on life under an imperial whip. Uro doesn't know the language or culture of his birth, and doesn't even know of his parents. Uro however, is weirdly content with his life, after all, how can he miss freedom he never had? Kliment Popov, Slave-Warrior: Once one of the farmers attempting to defend his home and family from imperial invasion, he's now a member of the imperial army. One of the first slave-warriors, Kliment has proven himself again and again, his unit being used by Primus Morkak as elite shock troops, where his own fail. Dedicated to his cause, he believes if he can prove himself he can see his family again. Oszkár Vastag, Slave Advisor: Once a mercenary, his actions ended up with his small band stuck in the face of the Empire's invasion. Captured and made a slave, news of his former occupation made it to Primus Morkak who sought an experienced military advisor. Vastag is now in an odd position of privilege. While not as badly down trodden as the slave warriors he oversees, he's still a slave, and instead aims to make his position better through working for Morkak. Leonie Akkeran, Slave Soldier: A young woman with a chip on her shoulder, Leonie was captured as a child, and was destined to spend the rest of her life toiling away on an abominable farm. When the opportunity came for her to get off the farm by serving as a slave-soldier, she leapt on the chance. She now serves as a team leader, and has a reputation of being somewhat of a wild woman, leaping into battle with reckless abandon. Wade Randal, Slave Collaborator: When the Empire began subjugating Suraap, Randal didn't just surrender to them, he asked to collaborate. Turning on his fellow man, he ratted out families, resistance leaders and even friends. Thinking this would afford him leniency, he was made a slave, the same as all the others. Still desperate to prove himself, he continues to snitch on the wrongdoings of his fellow slaves, hoping his new masters will pay attention to it and raise him up. Kagiso Ihejirika, Slave Servant: Yakzak's family servant, Kagiso is a downtrodden little wretch, condemned to a lifetime of hard servitude. Kagiso serves the Lord regent's family, cleaning their home, fetching their meals and any other needs they have. Broken by Yakzak, she's little more than a trained animal now. Ralph Armbruster, Slave Aide: Aide to Grand Archduke Yaayan, Armbruster has an important role of organising the life of one of the busiest members of the empire. To this end, Armbruster spends day and night organising meetings, speeches, visits to the Duchy, meetings with the emperor, meetings with foreign dignitaries, and more. He attends all these meetings alongside his master, dutifully taking notes. Armbruster performs his tasks dutifully and without hesitation, looking down on lesser slaves. Sybil Florek, Royal Tutor: A well educated woman taken during the constant expansion of the empire, her intelligence saw her selected by Koroku's household staff to be a tutor for the royal lineage. Bright and lively, she relishes the opportunity to tutor the Emperor's sons and daughters, hoping to rains more benevolent leaders for the future of the Empire. Sybil's three children have all been born and raised inside the Imperial household, each being groomed for service to the empire.